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Plains zebras had been a fixture on the Kitulo Plateau until hunting and sheep and dairy farming forced them out more than 50 years ago. WCS says that fire and grazers such as zebra are critical to maintaining the plant diversity of these high-elevation (what scientists call “montane”) grasslands. Kitulo National Park, created in 2002, sits at 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level.

The farms have since been abandoned, giving way to Davenport’s idea of “rewilding” the region. To that end, the team has orchestrated the planting of 4 million native trees in the southern highlands, providing woodland thoroughfares for small antelopes known as duikers and monkeys like the critically endangered kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji). And two types of antelopes, the southern reedbuck (Redunca spp.) and the steenbok (Raphicerus campestris), have returned to the area.

For the past two years, WCS staff have been making sure that the park can support zebras and educating local communities about the effort. They’ve also worked with veterinarians from Tanzania National Parks to increase the chances that the zebra reintroduction succeeds.

In early October, the team moved 16 female and eight male zebras from Mikumi National Park, about 700 kilometers (435 miles) northeast of Kitulo.

“This collaboration proves that we can restore wildlife in once degraded landscapes — provided there is political will and good science behind these efforts,” Davenport said.

Restoring Kitulo and the southern highlands remains a high priority for the team, and Tanzania National Parks veterinarian Emmanuel Macha suggested the zebras wouldn’t be the last large mammals to return to the region.

“It is great to see zebra once again enjoying this beautiful landscape,” Macha said in the WCS statement. “Perhaps we can re-introduce impala, waterbuck or eland next.”